EvidenceMary Oliver
I have to thank both Beacon Press and LibraryThing's Early Reviewers Program for sending me Evidence, Mary Oliver's latest collection of poetry. I love Oliver's work and this newest collection does not disappoint.
I'm pleased to say that, while not every poem hit home, I enjoyed the majority of poems in the collection, and a few had such an impact on me that I was utterly unable to continue reading -- all I could do was to reread the lines which had affected me so. This happened a number of times, which is always a hallmark of a superior poet.
Oliver's poetry is simple and unpretentious; that's not to say, however, that it's facile or simple-minded. I love how she glories in the world around her, and finds beauty in every aspect of nature.
This ability is most clearly seen in "Prince Buzzard," one of my favorite poems in the collection. Here, Oliver is able to make beautiful that which is generally considered to be ugly: a buzzard feeding on carrion. Although this image is not a pleasant one, the poem that results from it is.
"Almost a Conversation" is another of my favorites; in this poem Oliver describes a conversation with an otter. I had quoted a portion of the poem in a previous draft of this review; upon rereading it, however, the power of those lines is not as strong as when attached to the entire poem, so you'll just have to trust me on this one.
At any rate, if you enjoy poetry characterized by simple phrasing, profound thoughts, and a glorification of the natural world, Evidence is for you.
In a nutshell: Oliver uses simple language to create profound poetry.
Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars
I'm pleased to say that, while not every poem hit home, I enjoyed the majority of poems in the collection, and a few had such an impact on me that I was utterly unable to continue reading -- all I could do was to reread the lines which had affected me so. This happened a number of times, which is always a hallmark of a superior poet.
Oliver's poetry is simple and unpretentious; that's not to say, however, that it's facile or simple-minded. I love how she glories in the world around her, and finds beauty in every aspect of nature.
This ability is most clearly seen in "Prince Buzzard," one of my favorite poems in the collection. Here, Oliver is able to make beautiful that which is generally considered to be ugly: a buzzard feeding on carrion. Although this image is not a pleasant one, the poem that results from it is.
"Almost a Conversation" is another of my favorites; in this poem Oliver describes a conversation with an otter. I had quoted a portion of the poem in a previous draft of this review; upon rereading it, however, the power of those lines is not as strong as when attached to the entire poem, so you'll just have to trust me on this one. At any rate, if you enjoy poetry characterized by simple phrasing, profound thoughts, and a glorification of the natural world, Evidence is for you.
In a nutshell: Oliver uses simple language to create profound poetry.
Bibliolatry Scale: 5 out of 6 stars
4 comments:
i don't know if it's just me, but i have a hard time reading poetry outside of the classroom. i do an entire poetry unit at school, but when i am at home, i don't typically settled down with poetry. in an academic setting i LOVE to dissect and analyze poetry; i just can't do it at home.
that said, your review here is forcing me to reconsider my stance. maybe my reading list is too populated with novels and memoirs. to be a more well-rounded reader, i should branch out. thanks for the motivation!
eek! can you fix my typo: it should be 'settle'
Is it possible to edit comments? If so, how?
As for me, I also enjoy analyzing poetry in the classroom, but that's NOT what I want in my "personal" poetry.
At home, I like the poetry of Margaret Atwood, Wislawa Szymborska, Ted Kooser, Billy Collins, Mary Oliver, and Mary Karr. They are simple, without being simple
"At any rate, if you enjoy poetry characterized by simple phrasing, profound thoughts, and a glorification of the natural world, Evidence is for you. "
I definitely do, and furthermore I have two friends who've been urging me to read Mary Oliver. I'll definitely have to look for this. Thanks!
Post a Comment